Baked Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa

I've always loved coconut shrimp at restaurants but it's fried and I try to avoid it. So when I stumbled across this recipe online with the bonus pineapple salsa, I had to print it for my files! Well, it finally landed in my meal planning folder and on the menu for the week. I thought it was great!

Oven Baked Coconut Shrimp

1 1/2 pounds shrimp peeled, deveined, tails intact (I used 1 lb for the 3 of us)
1/3 cup cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2-3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups flaked sweetened coconut
Nonstick cooking spray

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse shrimp in cold water; drain well on paper towels until dry.

Combine cornstarch, salt, and red pepper in shallow dish; stir with whisk. Place egg whites in medium bowl and beat with electric mixer at medium-high speed until frothy, about 2 minutes. (For me, 2 minutes was actually more like meringue--not sure if that was supposed to happen, but it was fine). Place coconut in shallow dish.

Coat baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Working with 1 shrimp at a time: Dredge in cornstarch mixture, dip in eggwhite, then dredge in coconut, pressing gently with fingers. Place shrimp on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining shrimp. Lightly coat shrimp with cooking spray.

Bake 20 minutes or until shrimp is done, turning after 10 minutes. Serve with pineapple salsa.

Pineapple Salsa

1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
NOT 1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (or 1-2 T if your husband hates it, like mine...and that was enough to ruin it for him)
1/4 cup pineapple preserves (or apricot pineapple preserves)
1 T finely chopped seeded fresh jalapeno
1 1/2 T fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients and gently toss. (If I had an orange bell pepper on hand, I would've chopped it up in there for a little yummy color).

(http://www.thatsmyhome.com/)
(Serves 4-5)